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Post by seventeen on Jul 15, 2005 0:45:50 GMT -5
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Post by duster on Jul 15, 2005 15:15:28 GMT -5
I agree. This is when Bobby Mac shines, imo. His pre-draft evaluations are always interesting and usually pretty close to the mark in most cases.
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Post by mic on Jul 15, 2005 15:38:45 GMT -5
When will the draft order be decided ? Just before the draft ? Sorry if I missed it.
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on Jul 15, 2005 16:19:37 GMT -5
When will the draft order be decided ? Just before the draft ? Sorry if I missed it. Good question. I think it would be a great opportunity for the NHL to get the TV viewers who watch celebrity poker, to watch the balls dropping in the NHL draft order, prior to the announcement of picks. Fans in NY, Detroit, and for sure me in LA would be tuned in. There should be published lists and guides for the uninformed fans to download and print so they can cheer and jeer the selections from their tables in the bar. |
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Post by franko on Jul 15, 2005 17:11:56 GMT -5
When will the draft order be decided ? Just before the draft ? Sorry if I missed it. The NHL Draft Lottery will take place on July 21, with the Entry Draft to be held in Ottawa on July 30 (Live on TSN at Noon et/9am pt). |
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 15, 2005 22:00:05 GMT -5
This is still a favourite part of the season for me. Sure, under the new rules it supposedly will be less important as players can bolt into free agency at a much younger age, but I would counter that the ability to develop in house is still the way to build a strong team under a Cap model. You can then keep room for some UFA signings or some key trades at the earlier trade deadline if you have left room in your cap to make a stronger playoff run. Wouldn't you rather draft a Higgins and a Komo, build up some rapport for them in your organization, than have to go fishing in the free agent or trade market for those kind of assets? Amateur scouting is still going to make a big difference in the new look league.
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Jul 17, 2005 13:37:27 GMT -5
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on Jul 17, 2005 15:57:13 GMT -5
Excellent analysis. My picks are: 1. Crosby (DUH!) 2. Kopitar (still growing and improving) 3. Skile (heart and attitude (see Chipchura) count for more than pure skills) other than that I agree with hfboards or don't have enough personal insight to comment on players who toil in the obscurity of Khazakstan |
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Jul 22, 2005 22:55:36 GMT -5
Best of the rest First and foremost for Red Line's money is Gilbert Brulé, a superb mix of grit and offensive talent. Like Crosby, he's a smallish center at 5-10, but Red Line views him as a more skilled version of Mike Peca — with a phenomenal shot that is perhaps the best in this year's draft, and a sandpaper abrasive on-ice personality that gets under opponents' skin and puts them off their game. Benoit Pouliot combines size with an elegant, even graceful skating ability that gives him as big an upside as any forward in the draft. Though not yet a finished product, Pouliot has come further, and faster, than anyone in this year's class. With his speed, vision and passing ability, he can play a finesse game, but he also has the power and disposition to get mean and physical with teams that want to play that way. Jack Skille is a pure power winger who plays a tremendously advanced two-way game. Skille arrived on the scene three years ago as a guy with great speed and a big shot, but has rounded his game off to become a complete player who can beat you with a big goal, a big pass, a big hit, or even a big shot block. He's an absolute powerhouse in the corners who plays bigger than his size and barrels his way recklessly to the net with a great burst. Anze Kopitar is the top European this year at any position. He's the first top-flight prospect ever produced by Slovenia, and quite possibly the best pure sniper in this year's crop. He's deadly from the circles in and wants the puck on his stick at crunch time. With a big-time shot and explosive, game-breaking abilities, he'll be off the board early. The biggest and strongest power winger this year is Guillaume Latendresse, who is not only huge at 6-2/220 pounds, but also freakishly strong. He's impossible to move off the puck, and few even attempt to drive him out of the crease. Though not at all dirty, Latendresse often injures opposing defensemen with the sheer force of his crushing hits in the corners and along the walls. He's a heavy-footed skater, but has soft, quick hands and a nice release on his shot. Bobby Ryan is very similar in size and style to Latendresse. He may not hit as hard or as often, but he's a magician with the puck, and is particularly creative setting up in Wayne Gretzky's old office behind the net. Also a bit heavy-footed, but makes up for it with great vision and anticipation, and has a knack for buying an extra split second for teammates to break into open ice. One of the more well-rounded forward prospects is Ryan O'Marra. He's long and lean with a great frame to grow into, and can play either a finesse or power game as necessary. Really intelligent with good hockey sense in all three zones, he is terrific on both the PP and as a penalty killer. Though he has played mostly center in his junior career, Red Line projects him as a right winger in the pros who works well along the walls and makes plays coming out of the corners with the puck. - www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/columnist/woodlief/2005-07-08-red-line-report_x.htm |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 23, 2005 22:19:02 GMT -5
Lots of power forwards and snipers within the top 10, eh? A real power forward on the Habs would be ridiculously helpful.
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Jul 24, 2005 9:23:02 GMT -5
Excellent analysis. My picks are: 1. Crosby (DUH!) 2. Kopitar (still growing and improving) 3. Skile (heart and attitude (see Chipchura) count for more than pure skills) other than that I agree with hfboards or don't have enough personal insight to comment on players who toil in the obscurity of Khazakstan 4. F Bobby Ryan OHL 6-1 215 Scouting Report: I see a bit of Rick Nash in this pup, bigger then advertised, built like a pro already, huge shoulders, skating needs work, he's very strong on his skates and very hard to knock off the puck. Excellent in the corners and in traffic, well score pro style goals. His shot is subpurb, snappy release, shot packs a very powerfull punch, can finish. Amazing hands, can beat you standing still, great shifty one on one moves. A solid playmaker with passable vision and shows the occasional creativity. Excellent anticipation, solid defensively. Overall skating is the only limit it appears, but I love his finish, his hands are amazing, and he looks like a Jason Allison/Rick Nash mold. Best powerforward in the Draft. Sharks take: Sharks could get another exceptional powerforward to go along with Bernier, his skating needs work but everything else is there. His skating isn't too bad if he just kept driving his legs. Excellent potential as a gambreaking powerforward in the Rick Nash/Jason Allison Mold. But will his skating get him in the end? 5. F Anze Kopitar 6-2 200 SLV Scouting Report: Big, lively, rangey center, very smart two way player. Kopitar shined in the World Championships and left me sold. Has Thomas Vanek like hands and finish, very strong on his feet and loves to dangle around defenders while going straite to the net, shot is exceptional, great at lifting it top corner in tight spaces. Pure scorer instincts. Shows more playmaking ability then Thomas Vanek, similar to Danny Heatley, makes plays and does very well on the PP, Can play multiple roles and also go straite in front of the net and be the clog in the middle. His defensive effort should be commended but it's still coming along, not a finished product you'll have to waite about 2 more years, but had a great year in the Sweden system. Can simply undress people with his moves. His skating stride is fine, but it's just mediocore in the end. Excellent teamate and shows leadership qualities. Could stand to get meaner and play more of a powerforward game. Sharks take: Sharks never had a problem with a player playing from a non traditional hockey town, Nabby, Sturm, Goc ect. Could end up going as high as 2nd overall, still never got to play at the two big tournaments with the U-20 or U-18. Doesn't finsih quite as good as Vanek but is close, and shows better defensive instincts and some playmaking upside. Sharks will love his character and I would not be surprised to see them reach for him early if they had a shot. 6. F Gilbert Brule WHL 5-11 190 Scouting Report: Small but feisty, finishes his checks, excellent skater and mobility, can get outside on defenseman and make them pay, excellent hands, in the top 5 in terms of hands in this draft, great hands and maintaints possession as good as anyone. Strong on his feet and battles threw checks. Love his shot, hard and heavy, great accuracy, can score with little time in front, great finisher and will score alot of goals in the NHL. Overall I don't like his small frame, and I don't like his puck hog attitude, I love his competive spirit and I want to win this for my team attitude, but overall he emerges as a puck hog, and struggles to make his linemates better. You'll have to build around him, not with him. Not a headcase though, just likes to do it him self, that could be worked out though and he could be a special player. Expect him to go higher, but I like the other kids more. Kind of a Russian/Canadian style player. Hard nosed phsyical kid with a mean streak. Sharks take: If the Sharks have a chance at him, they would be inclined to take him because of his amazing gamebreaking offensive ability and sniper instincts. Not the typical Sharks prospect though, lacks size but does play bigger then his frame, still Sharks like players who make others around them lifes easier and show the ability to share the puck. This might hurt Brule's chances of being a Shark, still if the Sharks are picking high enough to even have a shot at thim they wouldn't pass it up likely. |
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 24, 2005 10:15:52 GMT -5
I think the downside on Kopitar is that he comes from a country that hasn't produced an NHL'er. Really, is that such a bad thing? He has gone to Sweden to play his junior hockey there in a well established league and was performing very well against players from a traditional hockey system. As a 17 year old he played with his countrymen and other adults in the Worlds and looked pretty good, at least in the one game I saw and the reports that I read. He has NHL size already, has good wheels, and can finish with the best of juniors. I don't think this is such a high-risk, swing for the fences pick that many north americans are making it out to be. We cannot forget that the Habs maintained their scouting team through the lockout, so they would have had plenty of opportunity to see Kopitar, unlike the many armchair scouts out there (myself included). If they think he is the real deal, then I would not be the least bit surprised to hear his name announced with the #5 pick next Saturday.
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Jul 24, 2005 10:42:27 GMT -5
I think the downside on Kopitar is that he comes from a country that hasn't produced an NHL'er. Really, is that such a bad thing? He has gone to Sweden to play his junior hockey there in a well established league and was performing very well against players from a traditional hockey system. As a 17 year old he played with his countrymen and other adults in the Worlds and looked pretty good, at least in the one game I saw and the reports that I read. He has NHL size already, has good wheels, and can finish with the best of juniors. I don't think this is such a high-risk, swing for the fences pick that many north americans are making it out to be. We cannot forget that the Habs maintained their scouting team through the lockout, so they would have had plenty of opportunity to see Kopitar, unlike the many armchair scouts out there (myself included). If they think he is the real deal, then I would not be the least bit surprised to hear his name announced with the #5 pick next Saturday. 6'3" 200lbs at 17 years of age. |
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 24, 2005 12:29:42 GMT -5
6'3 200lbs at 17 years of age. Yes, and 49 points in 30 games, good for first place in the scoring race in the U20 Swedish junior league. Sounds good to me. |
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 24, 2005 12:41:13 GMT -5
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Jul 24, 2005 12:48:50 GMT -5
He's the guy, and not just because he has the coolest name. Kostitsyn, Chipchura, Kopitar—bigger, stronger. Last year our number one was a "safe" pick. This year we swing for the fences. * That HF writer is obviously an absolute genius. |
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Post by duster on Jul 24, 2005 13:42:35 GMT -5
Both seem risky IMO. So is Brule. This is the team's big kick at the can. I'm optimistic however.
Is Ryan's skating really that ordinary? Hard to pass up a potential first rate power forward. Can the team risk another Jason Ward though...If he is such a great player, why isn't he concensus no2 or no3?
I will admit that Kopitar impressed the h*** out of me. But that was on TV. If he is a better version of Vanek, as many claim him to be, he's the guy I would want on my team. Tout un joueur d'hockey from the very few times I saw him play
Brule is an elite player, no question. He "was" the Vancouver Giants imo. The comparison to Peca is a good one. The "puck hog" thing is overblown. He made his linemates look much better than they likely were by drawing opposing teams' defensemen to him and has a deft touch much like Ribs does. He's tough as nails, a great passer, very fast and has a wicked, accurate shot. Watching him play at the Colosseum (season ticket holder), I use to think of how good he'd look in a Habs uniform. My only concern is him running into the Charas of this world. He has no fear and that could hurt him as it did Koivu...
I'm glad I'm not AS or BG. A tough, tough decision...I suspect the decision may be made to a certain extent by the teams drafting before the Habs.
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Post by The Habsome One on Jul 24, 2005 13:57:27 GMT -5
McKeen's has Kopitar at #3. Source: mckeenshockey.rivals.com/default.aspThe following piece was just posted on Habfans by somebody: Anze Kopitar BORN: 1987-08-24 AGE: 17 NATION: Slovenia POSITION: F SHOOTS: L HEIGHT: 189 cm / 6'3" WEIGHT: 92 kg / 203 lbs A quite complete player. The Slovenian star prospect might not be the fastest of skaters, but he has excellent hockey sense, great size a good passing game and a lethal shot. He has proven to be a very good goal scorer, but also a gifted playmaker. Kopitar should see significant ice time in Södertälje during the 2005-06 season, which will be his first as a SEL regular. Anze Kopitar (2005), C, Sodertalje Living up to all the hype but he is more raw than the stats would show .. an excellent stickhandler who glides through defenses with a big reach, reminiscent of Jaromir Jagr .. soft hands, crisp passes .. a natural playmaker who sees the ice very well and can run the power play with his hands and savvy .. one thing that he lacks is quickness as his first few strides are a bit heavy but he moves smoothly enough and can generate pretty good speed once he gets going .. has a very sharp mind; reacts very well to game flow, breaks up plays defensively by being at the right place at the right time by virtue of his positional know-how .. puck protection skills are good but he is not always adequate physically, frequently getting outmuscled even by smaller opponents .. must be more proactive with using his frame in traffic .. quick release on the wrist shot .. very determined around the crease area and keeps his stick low to the ice in anticipation of the pass .. has a scorer's mentality; loves to shoot .. very special but should be handled with care. _____________________________________________ Umm..where is the risk? So he hails from tiny Slovenia.  There's some more interesting feedback from people who saw him play in last year's Under 20's B in the following thread: www.hfboards.com/printthread.php?t=117500&pp=50Excerpt: steblick 12-15-2004 09:42 PM Kopitar has been absolutely dominant at this tournament so far. Not only is he one of the youngest players there but he's almost the biggest (I'd go with 6'3, 205). He has trememdous hands, hockey sense (!), shot and uses his size well (not as a banger, but to break through checks, lean on defenders etc.). You can't take your eyes off him when he's on the ice because you expect him to do something and he will (certianly, at least, at this level)!
Jason Allison is a good comparison.
At this point I'd consider him (and you may/will laugh) a contender for that wide-open #4 spot in the draft. Of course, I'd like to see him more in the higher-level Swedish league on a regular basis before confirming that. |
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on Jul 24, 2005 14:07:18 GMT -5
I remember a lot of big guys who were poor skaters, dating back to Wyckenheiser.
I prefer Anze who is big and can skate. He's also younger than the others and bigger than the others.
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Jul 24, 2005 14:14:57 GMT -5
Umm..where is the risk? So he hails from tiny Slovenia. He belongs in Montréal—we'll make sure that he eats well. |
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 24, 2005 16:41:47 GMT -5
Well, lots of talk about our first pick, so here is a little guess work on who I would like to see the Habs pick with their 7 picks next Saturday:
First Round 5th: My favourite of the "Fab Five" is clearly Jack Johnson, but alas he will be gone by our pick. As such, I think Kopitar is the complete package, moreso than the other 4 forwards. He gets my vote. Heck, we have players and prospects from Canada, US, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, France, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Belarus, Denmark...so why not Slovenia!!
Second Round 56th and Third Round 65th: The snake draft gets us two picks 10 spots apart, so I will group players here. After getting a forward with the first pick, one of these two decent picks has to be a defenseman for Gainey. There will be some decent ones around, and my short list of hopefuls include: Sasha Pokoluk (Cornell NCAA) - the Habs would have seen him a lot scouting O'Byrne and Gleed, and he was really rusty in the playoffs after coming back from a second half injury, so his stock dropped a bit. One Cornell fan I talked to sees Sasha as having bigger upside than O'Byrne, and the added bonus is he is a Quebec born player as well. He is huge at 6'5" 220 lbs and contributes offensively to boot. Risto Korhonen (Finland)- I watched three of his games in the WJC this past year and he played big minutes alongside Laasko, and I really like his size, his physical play and he has decent puck skills and skating. A safe pick, but he would be a good addition. Matt Niskanen (Virginia HS Minnesota) - another product of the Minnesota high school system who was a Mr Hockey finalist, has great wheels, good shot, and will be off to UMD this fall. Very gifted offensive defenceman from the reports I read, as I have not seen him play. If we go with a forward with one of these picks, I would love to see the Habs pick one of these two guys: Paul Stastny (Denver NCAA) - this highly regarded forward tore up the NCAA playoffs and was considered the top freshman in the NCAA last season. He was the top scorer on the national championship team, good work for a rookie. He has NHL size and is gifted with the puck, many consider that he is close to NHL ready. I really hope we nab this young man. Oh yeah, and then there is the Stastny bloodlines. Chris Lawrence (SSM - OHL) - scored lots of points in the Sault and is a tall, rangy forward with good finish. I liked his game as I watched him at the U18's this spring.
Fourth Round 116th and Fifth Round 125th: Still some good picks can be found here and Timmins and company seem to have a knack of both finding gems later on and also going off the page a bit in their drafting strategy. I will be a little more conventional since I clearly lack their scouting travel budget. Stanislav Lascek (Chicoutimi QMJHL) - He was a teammate of top draft pick Marek Zagrapan at both the WJC and in the Q. I really, really liked his games at the WJC, as he is a gifted player with decent size and speed. He also had an injury but was on a scoring tear before it happened. Draft this kid, Bob. Blair Yaworski (Yale NCAA) - He is Yale's top scorer and is known as a gritty two way forward. Can't have enough of those in your fold. Jordan Lavallee (Quebec QMJHL) - He was overlooked last draft, but had a pretty good season and has great size. I haven't seen him play but know that a lot of teams are quite upset not taking a chance on him with a late rounder last draft. For defenders, there are a couple I like. Anton Belov (Russia) - He is a big Russian defender who can play a decent two way game and looked good in the international games I saw. The problem is the new Euro drafting rules, so there may be some risk here, that is why I have favoured more North Americans in my list. For a safer defender, there is T.J. Fast (Camrose AJHL) - He is a good skating offensive defenceman who is going from a great Junior progam in Camrose to a great NCAA program in Denver. I saw one game on TV and really liked his game, so it would be a decent pickup at this point.
Sixth Round 176th and Seventh Round 185th: Gainey, Timmins and company seem to still find decent players this late, and there are likely a few that still will be out there. Two forwards and two defenders make my imaginary list. Jonathan Matsumoto (Bowling Green NCAA) - Gifted offensive playmaker who was another good rookie who found himself at the top of his team's scoring race. Chad Rau (Des Moines USHL) - Was on the all-rookie team in the USHL last season and also was added to the US U18 team, so I saw a bit of his game. He is quick and gifted and I believe he too is headed to the NCAA this season. Not the biggest guy, but quick and talented. Dmitri Megalinski (Russia) - Has NHL size already, has a physical side to his game, and looked pretty decent in the WJC games I saw. The knock is that darn new Euro drafting rule. For a north american defender, an option could be Steve Birnstill (Northeastern NCAA) - He is an overager at 20 years old, and is quite skinny, but has good skating and puck skills. I really see Bob trying to add an offensive blueliner or two this draft, and he qualifies.
That's it for now. I compiled this back in April and just modified things a bit for our 5th pick, as I had conservatively looked at us picking middle of the pack with our first round pick. I am very pleasantly surprised with a fifth overall pick. I also tried to pick guys from all over the place (CHL, Europe, NCAA, USHL, US high school) as that seems to be Bob and TT's style these days. It was fun, as I always like the draft and like following our young hopefuls. Bob Gainey likely won't pick any of these guys, but it is just fun doing the research and playing scout/GM for a day from behind my computer.
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Post by Bob on Jul 24, 2005 18:54:58 GMT -5
Under the new CBA, can Montreal sign undrafted juniors to contracts and retain their rights if the player returns to junior? Players born prior to September 1986, for example, may be overlooked in the draft and this would be their last draft year.
In this year of confusion, if that tactic is a possibility, there could be one or two high quality players that are overlooked because of age and the low number of rounds in the draft.
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Post by BadCompany on Jul 26, 2005 10:19:00 GMT -5
How about a mock? Anybody else got any stones? ;D
1) Pittsburgh : Sydney Crosby, C. Well, I’ll get at least one right.
2) Anaheim : Jack Johnson, D. The consensus #1 defenseman in a draft that is pretty weak in high-upside defensemen. Brian Burke is going to want to gut this team, and rebuild it properly, as he did with Vancouver. He likes defensemen high (Allen, Stuart), and he likes them tough. Solid, all around guy. I’m not sold on Johnson’s offense translating to the NHL with any degree of significance, and his being left off the US World Junior Championship team, allegedly for attitude reasons, is a concern, but nonetheless, it is a weak year for blueliners. If I had to compare, I’d say he’s a lot like Jiri Fischer.
3) Carolina : Benoit Pouliot, C. A very pretty skater, graceful and effortless, a smooth playmaker. Has very good upside, but despite his size there are questions about his willingness to get dirty in the corners. That might not matter in the new NHL. But then again, it might. A Vincent Lecavalier, or a David Legwand? Carolina does not draft well. Aside from Eric Staal, they seem to miss with just about every pick. Granted, it was pretty hard not to hit a home run that year, with that pick, but I digress. Andrew Ladd seems to have regressed, after a stellar draft year, and if they are at all concerned about that, they might take Bobby Ryan as an emergency backup power forward, but I don’t think their scouting staff will make that recommendation. Looks bad on them, especially since they moved up to get him. They also do not draft Europeans.
4) Minnesota : Marc Staal, D. The Wild are difficult to predict. They don’t really have any strong draft tendencies, and are generally all over the place in their picks. So its tough to say what they will do. Having said that, they are strong down the middle with O’Sullivan, Koivu, Bouchard and even Wallin, so I’m not sure they’ll pick a center (unless they plan on moving him to the wing). They lack some depth in nets, but its too high to pick a goalie this year. A strong power forward is needed, but they could also use more depth on defense. I’ll stray from the “safe” mock draft you can read anywhere, and say the Wild see in Staal an extremely coach-able player who will fit in perfectly with whatever system Jacques Lemaire implements. A better Brent Burns, a compliment to AJ Thelen. This is higher than most have Staal, but he seems like a Wild “type” of player, and might even step into the NHL next year. If not Staal, Bobby Ryan.
5) Montreal : Bobby Ryan, RW. An embarrassment of riches. With the Wild taking Staal, Montreal is suddenly left with a very interesting choice. Bobby Ryan and Anze Kopitar are the consensus “best players available”, but Gilbert Brule might be the best player in the “new NHL.” From a pure marketing standpoint, Alex Bourret, or even Guillaume Latendresse would be dream choices – big, bruising, fan favorites, and local boys to boot – but #5 is too high for either one. Luc Bourdon fits an organizational need (and how!), but again, its kind of high for him to be picked. Ryan is the first in a line of big, average skating, potential power forwards. Comes with a lot of personal baggage, which depending on how you look at it, could be a strength, or a weakness. Skates like Jason Ward, who was also a big, average skating, potential power forward (Ward was ranked 4th by the CSB). Having said that, his overall skill level is higher than Ward’s, and his skating deficiencies are probably overrated. Some questioned Rick Nash’s speed too. This pick will be questioned though, by certain members of the media. Why not Latendresse, they’ll ask? He’s big, slow, and a sniper too, non? Why “l’Americain?” Bob Gainey will fix these certain members of the media with his steely eyed stare, and say “because I like him, you gut-less, yellow bellied b*stards!” While Kopitar is the consensus HabsRus pick, Gainey does not tend to draft, or build teams, around Europeans, and with Ryan falling, he’s got an easy out. But Ryan might not have as high an upside as Brule or Kopitar.
6) Columbus : Anze Kopitar, C. They’ve stocked up on elite wingers (Nash, Zherdev and Picard), and while they could use more defense and goaltending, at this point this becomes a no-brainer pick for them. And since I said that, the odds Kopitar will go to Columbus are virtually nil. But if he does, he’ll look great with any one of those above wingers.
7) Chicago : Gilbert Brule, C. Historically thought of as the #2 guy behind Crosby, his stock has fallen somewhat. Not sure why, as his game hasn’t really changed. He’s small, feisty, and puts up points. That’s what he’s always done, and that’s what he’ll probably always do. Fast, shifty, dirty, fearless. Saku Koivu/Tomas Plekanec type player. The new NHL is supposed to open doors for guys like Brule, guys who don’t necessarily have the size and strength to fight through the clutch-and-grab. If you believe that, then Brule should be high on your list. If you giggle ever time you hear the words “obstruction crackdown” then maybe you should look at one of those lumbering power forwards that are out there. The Blackhawks historically have played around in Russia (Mike Smithov), and in the OHL and WHL.
8) Atlanta : Marek Zagrapan, C. They’re just missing a center. Slick as an oil streak, the kid who put the fancy in fancy-pansy. Lots of offensive talent, and he adapted very well to the North American game and culture. Good size, but not overly physical, the next question for Zagrapan will be can he adapt to the pro game? Can he play against men, in other words. A Nikolai Zherdev type player. I, for one, think he’ll do just fine in the big leagues. Somewhat of a surprise pick, this high though, as opinions on him diverge wildly. Some have him top 10, others, like CSB, have him much, much lower. What did the CSB rank him as? 23rd amongst North American skaters?? What’s that, like 55-60, once you factor in Europeans, and goalies? The Thrashers don’t think so. They have a goalie, they have wingers, they’ve drafted defensemen. They need an en elite center, and with either Heatley or Kovalchouk on his wing – or both – Zagrapan will be fine. They don’t normally take players from the Q, but the chance for a home run here is too tempting.
9) Ottawa : Luc Bourdon, D. “No way!” they’ll howl, “Way!” I say in response, “Put your money where your mouth is, and draw up your own mock draft, you gut-less, yellow bellied b*stards!” (I’m practicing). Ottawa is going to be in a world of cap trouble in a year or two (doesn’t that seem strange?), and prime candidates to bolt are Phillips, Redden and Chara. I think they’ll try to keep the forward core together as much as possible, and the best way to do that will be to bring in young, dynamic, and cheap defensemen. While theoretically you shouldn’t draft according to “cap strategy” it WILL become a crucial factor in future draft decisions. This might be the first example. Having said that, I like Bourdon. I like him a lot. I was watching him at the U18, and he took a slap-shot off the foot, got up, and hobbled his way through the rest of the shift, even though he was clearly in a good deal of pain. Seemed tough. Good size, good skating, he reminds me of a bigger Frankie Bouillon, or perhaps a younger Stephane Quintal. Scott Hannan, if he really pans out, and I love Scott Hannan. In a manly, sporting way, of course. Bourdon won’t be a big point getter, or a monster hitter, or a Norris candidate, but he’ll give you 10 years of rock-solid defense. Probably pretty cheaply too. Which may be important.
10) Vancouver : Jack Skille, LW. He is big, he is strong, he can score. Can he do it in the faster-paced new NHL? You’d think a guy named Skille would have natural skill (guffaw – see how I used Skille’s name to make an athletic sports reference? Skille – skill? That’s why I make the big bucks), but you never know. He’s generally thought of as being a notch below Bobby Ryan, but a notch above any other power-forward wannabe. He could be a Jonathon Cheechoo type. Ryan O’Marra might go here, too. The Canucks might make a strong push to move up in the draft to get Brule, the home-town kid. They should target Minnesota. Vancouver is another team that doesn’t draft from the Q.
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Post by BadCompany on Jul 26, 2005 10:19:28 GMT -5
11) LA : Brian Lee, D. They tend to draft big. Like moths to flames (not Calgary), they seem to get drawn in by size (Frolov, Boyle, Steckel, Anshakov, even Brown and Tukonen). Not necessarily your power types, just guys with big wing spans. They do not draft goalies high, but they did draft 3 last year, and 5 over the last two years. They don’t seem to spend much time scouting the Czech leagues, though they aren’t afraid of Russians. Unfortunately for them, there doesn’t seem to be much available that fits their draft tendencies this year. No 6’5 circus freaks, no star Russians, nothing that screams “LA Kings pick!” So they sigh, step up to the podium and take the 6’3 defenseman.
12) SJ : Tuukka Rask, G. What a great name. Say it a few times, and it sounds like some sort of African war chant. Tuukka, Tuukka, RASK! Most have Carey Price ahead of Rask, but I’ll go out on a limb and say the Finn will be the first goalie taken. Finland has produced some pretty good goalies of late, and nothing Rask did really merited him falling out of the top 10 he was originally slated to go in. This is high though, for any goalie to go. But SJ has historically been very good at finding European netminders, and while they don’t usually draft them this high, make your own friggin’ mock draft, I say! (if you’re looking for a starter hint for your SJ pick and don’t like Rask, think Alex Bourret, or Zagrapan if he falls). SJ isn’t afraid of the Q, and, strangely enough, they draft a lot of Germans. That hasn’t really worked out for them yet.
13) Buffalo : Ryan O’Marra, C. I think they’re really ticked Brian Lee is already gone. They might trade up to get him. They like the college kids, been drafting them before it was fashionable, but the next best ones are Ryan Stoa and Dan Bertram, both of whom are borderline first rounders, and not worthy of a top 15 pick. O’Marra is a safe, but very un-sexy choice. A Kyle Chipchura type.
14) Washington : Ryan Parent, D. While the Capitals don’t really have any organizational need for a defenseman, we’ve long since moved past the “could step in next year, or the year after” stage of the draft. So BPA is much more of a factor now, than perhaps it was earlier. (I know, I know, “always take the BPA” blah, blah, blah). While opinions on Parent vary, he is a somewhat safe pick, and Brendan Witt’s heir apparent.
15) Islanders : Niklas Bergfors, F. They have tended to draft well in the past, just that Mike Milbury, well… We all know the story. They aren’t afraid of the Euros, particularly the Finns and Swedes. Bergfors isn’t a high-end skill player, but he is tenacious and hard-working. He was well thought of coming into this year, but didn’t seem to progress as well as had been hoped. Didn’t regress, just didn’t really progress as much as many thought he would.
16) Rangers : Martin Hanzal, C. Great size for a center, with lots of offensive upside. But man, he spends more time diving than Alexander Despatie. His “look-I’ve-been-shot” performance at the U18 was embarrassing to me, and I’m not even Czech. He’s slated to go top 15, but no matter what people say, character DOES cause a player to fall on draft day. Unlike their cross-town rivals the Islanders, the Rangers have NOT drafted well in the past. Awful, actually. They sometimes tend to get caught up in hype machines, and pick according to the highest guy left on lists. “Oh, HE’S still available?? Lets get him!” Seems to me they should look into why these guys are still available a little more. If my mock goes as I predict (guffaw), they’ll take Hanzal.
17) Phoenix : Brendan Mickelson, D. Another team that just does not draft well. Like, ever. They took a huge, huge gamble on Blake Wheeler last year, which shows they have guts, if nothing else. It will be interesting to see how much authority Wayne Gretzky starts to assert in Phoenix, and whether he’ll try to mold the Coyotes into the new millennium’s version of the old Edmonton Oilers. Mickelson can skate, no doubt about it, and if Gretz wants to go back to a speed team, like the hey-days of the 80’s, this isn’t a bad pick. Though Mickelson shouldn’t be counted on to produce much in the way of offense.
18) Nashville : Alex Bourret, RW. Another guy I really like. Seems like a Marty Lapointe kind of guy, though shorter. He’ll bang around with reckless abandon, hurt you when you aren’t looking, and score big goals in the playoffs, when he’ll get this crazed look on his face, and his wife and kids will go to the mother-in-laws to “give Daddy his space.” The only problem with guys like this is they tend to get hurt a lot. But he’s a great pick for Nashville, and fits their character-laden lineup perfectly. I would have liked to have seen him in a Habs uniform, where I think he would have become an instant fan-favorite. Nashville very rarely picks from Quebec, but this is too good to pass up.
19) Detroit : Kendall McArdle, F. The Red Wings tend to make the most out their limited draft choices, and their scouting staff really needs to be commended. Especially their Euro scouts. But this is the highest they’ve picked in some time, and the best Euros are all taken. I thought of Mikko Lehtonen at this spot, but that’s just too cute. They might snare him in the second round. McArdle is a nice character player, who put him up pretty good numbers for a prospect who isn’t as well thought of as others. Devin Setogouchi is another player in much the same mold. Do I get extra points if they do take Lehtonen?
20) Philadelphia : Carey Price, G. In Bobby Clarke’s wet dreams, I think he sees Bobby Ryan. He’s everything Bobby Clarke used to be, and pretty much everything Clarke tries to build his team as. Big, strong, lumbering. The Legion of Doom, and all that. Having said that, the Flyers don’t necessarily draft that way. While Jeff Carter fits that mold, Mike Richards does not, and trading up to get a Euro defensemen like Joni Pitkanen doesn’t seem to fit that Don Cherry philosophy either. Jeff Woywitka fit the mold, Justin Williams and Simon Gagne do not. The Flyers are not adverse to taking goalies in the first round, or multiple goalies in a year. Maybe its because they tend to eat them alive. This is a long fall for Price, but I really wonder what affect the new CBA is going to have on goalies. Why draft and develop them, when there will be a whole bunch of them hitting UFA age just as they reach their prime? Course, the reverse could be true as well, in that teams will place a premium on goalies, and lock them up to long term contracts when they turn 25-26. We’ll have to see.
21) Toronto : Jacob Kindl, D. Very risky pick. Totally bombed out in his first year in North America, despite coming over touted as a potential top 10 guy. 14 points in the OHL, for a non-physical, average defensively, allegedly elite offensive defenseman? Eek. While the upside is there, he’s also got bust written all over him, and the Czechs aren’t shy about going back home when things don’t work out for them immediately over here. When the Leafs aren’t busy drafting flighty, high-risk Europeans, they poach from their own backyard, and draft heavily out of the OHL. Kindl fits both bills.
22) Boston : Scott Jackson, D. The Bruins like to draft defensemen. This is as good a pick as any, though perhaps a tad higher than he should be. Watch for Latendresse to go here, though.
23) NJ : Matt Lasshof, D. They’re not afraid of small forwards. See Zach Parise, and Scott Gomez. They’re also not afraid to take puck-moving defensemen. For all the raving people do about David Conte, the Devils have not had a player make the NHL in about 4 years now, the much bally-whooed Adrian Foster looks like a “too clever for your own good” pick, and the last two guys they picked who had any impact were the now-incarcerated Mike Danton, and the rather difficult-to-deal-with Michael Rupp. Granted, they always draft low, they’ve traded a couple of first rounders, and Parise looks like a steal, but still, I nitpick, and nitpick I do. Lasshof falls into the “puck moving defenseman” and “perhaps too clever for your own good” categories. Considered a top defenseman coming into the year, he battled injuries and illness (like Foster did) and generally did not have a good season. But if he returns to form, this could be a nice pick for the Devils.
24) St. Louis : Guillaume Latendresse, F. Opinions seem to be all over the map with Latendresse. Not a great skater, but he hits to hurt, and hurts when he hits. Capable of physically dominating a game, but also capable of disappearing. At times during the U18 he was a monster force along the wall, at other times he looked lost and fell down a lot. He can shoot, and he can shoot well. Going into the year he was a consensus top-5 pick. But he started the year hurt, and took some time to come back from that. He could be one of the best players in the draft, a real Rick Nash/John Leclair goal scorer. Or he could lumber his way into obscurity, like Terry Ryan. He’s this year’s Steve Bernier (for HFLA). St. Louis does not usually draft from the Q, and they have a real love affair with Europeans, but I’ll call a mulligan here. Watch for Lehtonen though.
25) Edmonton : Andrew Cogliano, F. The Oilers have not drafted well over the years. Especially in the first round. That, more so than any economic reasons, has been the main reason for their poor on-ice performance, in my opinion. I’m not sure things changed for them last year, when they took Devan Dubnyk and Robbie Schremp. Not only do I think Dubnyk was not the best goalie available, but if he does turn out to be the best, even the Oilers describe him as “a project.” Meaning that he’s going to take some time to grow into his 6’5 frame, and some more time to become a polished NHL netminder. Meaning he’ll probably be about 27-28 before he actually starts to get good. Or right around UFA age. Schremp has more potential to be an impact player, but I’m still not sold on his character. Yes, he did rack up a lot of points, but that was a ridiculously good London team. He’s a boom or bust prospect, and the Oilers have seen more busts than a cosmetic surgeon over the last couple of decades. The Oilers do not draft defensemen in the first round. But they do draft speed. And Cogliano has that to burn. But he’s small, and played in a weak league.
26) Calgary : Devin Setogouchi, F. I really liked him at the U18. I thought he displayed a lot of character, and a lot of hustle. But they say he’s streaky. Still, the Flames like to take home-town boys, and this isn’t a bad spot to take a gamble on a kid from southern Alberta.
27) Colorado : Ryan Stoa, C. The Avs have gotten lucky in the past, drafting guys who were often described as “talented, but…” Hejduk, Tanguay, Drury, a lot of guys who everyone knew had skill, but who seemed to be lacking a certain je ne sais quoi heading into their draft years. Then, they put it all together. Stoa, an NCAA player, is described as “having a lot of tools, but…” This could be the steal of the draft. Watch for them to take JP Lavesseur, or Alexander Vincent early in the 2nd round (both of whom, by the way, would make nice picks for the Habs in the 2nd round).
28) Dallas : Ondrej Pavelec, G If they aren’t worried about the long term future of their goaltending, they ought to be. Ellis didn’t exactly impress in Hamilton last year, and they don’t have a heck of a lot else waiting in the wings. This is a nice pick for them (like that little editorial comment?)
29) Florida : Michael Blunden, F. Haha! Sucks to be Florida! Florida drafts big. Real big. If you haven’t had the doorways in your house raised, then you ain’t going to get drafted by the Panthers. Ok, I exaggerate. But they’ll have to raise the dressing room ceiling if all their recent picks pan out. They could use a strong, stay-at-home defenseman, but they’ll have to go overseas to get one (Korhonen?). Florida scouts the OHL heavily.
30) Tampa : Dan Bertram, F. They were probably hoping for Pavelec. They might trade up to get him, if he’s still hanging around at pick 25 or so. But if they can’t, they’ll need to start stocking up on centers, to replace Lecavalier when he Bolts (giggle) for Montreal.
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on Jul 26, 2005 11:33:05 GMT -5
Well done BC.
I'll take the easier road more travelled.
I hope you're right that Kopitar is still available at #5 and I hope you're wrong and the Hab's pick him.
There are a lot of good players out there and I think all of them will be in the NHL in three years.
Kopitar is the one guy that writers in five years will be saying, "can you believe that Anze was available and five GM's overlooked him taking Ryan, Brule, Pouilliot and Stall instead."
It's nice to be picking #5 instead of #18 and having people debating the merits of tanking to draft higher.
(If Maurice Richard was in this draft instead of Brule, we'd be saying he's built like a fire hydrant and drives to the net with excellent scoring instincts but is undersized at 5'9")
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Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Jul 26, 2005 11:38:23 GMT -5
How about a mock? Anybody else got any stones? ;D I can mock with the best of them, but not on this scale. Chapeau! Un job vraiment ben fait! I'll stick to my usual agit-prop, though. |
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Post by Bob on Jul 26, 2005 12:58:17 GMT -5
My apologies if this has already been posted but the CBC has a nice report on who they believe the top 160 players will be. www.forecaster.ca/cbc/hockey/extras.cgi?2005-draft-prospect-profilesMathieu Roy slots in almost exactly where the Habs would be drafting in round three... without taking into consideration any compensatory drafts that might be handed out. |
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on Jul 26, 2005 13:07:42 GMT -5
My apologies if this has already been posted but the CBC has a nice report on who they believe the top 160 players will be. www.forecaster.ca/cbc/hockey/extras.cgi?2005-draft-prospect-profilesMathieu Roy slots in almost exactly where the Habs would be drafting in round three... without taking into consideration any compensatory drafts that might be handed out. No apology necessary. My observaton is that in the final hours, size matters. Big guys move up the ladder and small guys drop. Alexeev moved way up Bernier moved up Hudler plummeted Locke dropped like a stone Watch for Kopitar to rise and Brule to drop. |
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Post by roke on Jul 26, 2005 15:39:40 GMT -5
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Post by seventeen on Jul 26, 2005 16:31:28 GMT -5
How about a mock? Anybody else got any stones? ;D 1) Pittsburgh : Sydney Crosby, C. Well, I’ll get at least one right. 2) Anaheim : Jack Johnson, D. 3) Carolina : Benoit Pouliot, C. 4) Minnesota : Marc Staal, D. 5) Montreal : Bobby Ryan, RW. 6) Columbus : Anze Kopitar, C. 7) Chicago : Gilbert Brule, C. The stones? Yes. The time?...no. I shall take umbrage (there's another word I love...sounds kind of like a crazy Brolly fight) with your rankings in the top 7. I think Crosby, Johnson and Kopitar will go 1,2,3, though who knows if Johnson will go before Kopitar or after. I also don't think Ryan will go as high as you suspect. The knock against KK (King Kong) is his skating. Not having seen him myself, I can't judge whether he simply looks awkward (like Jason Ward), or is truly lead footed (like Jason Ward). If he can't go from A to B toute de suite, he falls like the proverbial Swiss parachute. (I'm making that up as I've never seen a Swiss parachute to confirm whether it really has holes in it). Brule, on the other hand, may do very well in the new NHL. I've seen his highlights many times. He's not as aggressive as I've read. As a 16 year old, the knock against him was his size, so he decided to get chippy and retaliated every time someone tried anything on him. So I don't think his aggression is natural, but his efforts to improve himself and discourage cheap shots is admirable and worth respecting. He does indeed have great hands (and you know how much Savard likes hands) and decent speed. His strength needs work, as is true of many draftees. I don't think Marc Staal will go that high, though as you say, Minny's kind of dippee sometimes. |
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